Around this time last year I was substitute teaching, waiting tables, and making strides with my art by expanding my business and brand. In this blog I’m sharing a poem that I wrote titled “The Day I Subbed in Music Class” describing one of my experiences substitute teaching. I’ve felt every emotion possible on this journey since my awakening when God gave me a vision for creating change in education three years ago when I quit my job working for the state of Texas in the residential childcare contracts division as a program specialist. On this particular day that I was the substitute, I knew that I needed to get in the classroom as a full time teacher and that I needed to do it ASAP.
The Day I Subbed in Music Class
I was told that the kids were bad
I was cautioned to take names
For the principal to call moms and dads
I was warned that the 3C students
Would be nothing but trouble
And if I could get them to behave
Then I must be some kind of lucky
The day I subbed in music class wasn’t as bad
As some of the staff tried to make it seem
In fact by time class 3C got to me
My perspective had changed on everything
The day I subbed in music class
I learned the students weren’t bad at all
As we started coloring
The kids told me about their life at home
They shared with me some of their biggest dreams
They even opened up to me about their feelings
They all softened my heart and through our art
We all ended up healing
The day I subbed in music class
Wasn’t so bad at all
In fact this was the day I answered my wake up call
I realized the children don’t need more lectures
They surely don’t need the constant fuss
Besides crayons and paper
All they really need is love
-Corinthian Elizabeth
Three weeks after giving birth to Freedom I started my journey as the art teacher at a middle school in Oak Cliff back in August of this year. Since then life has been moving along rather quickly and it still feels surreal that I’m teaching nearly 300 students. I’ve been teaching my students how to express their emotions through art, knowledge of self, and we’ve been practicing mindfulness through meditation. My students are healing, becoming more confident as artists, and believing in their abilities to accomplish their goals.I’ll be sharing more about my journey as it continues.
Here are some of the pictures the students drew as we colored together. My hair was a greenish blue color then as you can see from their drawings.
